Closure for laundry machine tubs



Jan. 4, 1949. J. F. HORVATH CLOSURE FOR LAUNDRY MACHINE TUBS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 31', 1946 mm H A F w L .m

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Jan. 4, 1949. J. F. HORVATH CLOSURE FOR LAUNDRY MACHINE TUBS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 31, 1946 4 ATTORNEYS 3 1949- J. F. HORVATH CLOSURE FOR LAUNDRY CHINE TUBS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 31, 1946 A; AT E'YS Patented Jan. 4, 1949 CLOSURE FOR LAUNDRY MACHINE TUBS John F. Horvath, Milwaukee, Wis., asslgnor to Appliance Corporation of America, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application October 31, 1946, Serial No. 706,870

19 Claims.

This invention relates to a laundry machine tub of spherical shape for cleansing materials in the tub and extracting the cleansing liquid from the tub by a flexible diaphragm, the present invention referring more particularly to means for mounting, and opening and-closing, a spherically curved door on said tub.

The present invention is an improvement over the door mounting of my copending applications 637.964 fi ed December 29, 1945, and 660,482 filed April 8, 1946, but may be used with such laundry machines of other kinds to which it may be adapted.

Among the objects of my invention are: to provide a novel and improved laundry machine tub door mounting; to provide such door and mounting in which the door is spherically curved similarly to the adjacent spherically curved portions of the tub, and non-rotatably mounted beneath the tub opening to permit the door to be bodily slidable circumferentially of the tub; to provide a tub of the character referred to having a spherically curved door inside of the tube and an arcuate slidable bar outside of the tub upon which the door is mounted; to provide novel means for moving the door radially outwardly into tight engagement with the inside of the tub around the tub opening when looking the door closed; to provide means for moving the door radially inwardly of the tub when unlocking the door; to provide novel locking means for the door of a laundry machine tub; to provide a spherically curved door for a spherically curved laundry machine tub in which the door will be spaced away from the inside of the tube when being moved to opening and closing positions to prevent scraping, rubbing or marring of the inside of the tub and outside of the door to preserve the ornamental finish of these parts; and to provide novel,

means for mounting the door and'slide bar with relation to the tub so as to make possible an economical structure easy to operate, pleasing in appearance and eflicient in operation.

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a laundry machine having a tub door and mounting embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view, on an enlarged scale, looking downwardly upon the tub door when in closed and locked position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section on the 2 line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the door in closed and'locked position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the tub door in open position.

Fig. 5 is a section of an enlarged on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the door in unlocked position.

Fig. 6a is a section on the line 6a--6a of Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the'tub door and associated parts of a modified form, and showing the door closed and locked.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of door locking means.

Fig. 11 is a section on the line I l-H of Fig. 12 of the form of my invention shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-42 of Fig. 11.

While my invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I have shown therein for illustrative purposes only, preferred embodiments and wish it understood that the same are susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1-6a the spherically curved perforated door I is slidably mounted on the inside of the upper portion 2 of the spherical tub, said upper portion 2 having a top opening 3 provided around its marginal edges with an upstanding annular lip 4, formed circumferentially around its bottom portion and substantially tangentially with the outer surfaces of the tub with a series of holes 5 to permit liquid being expressed from the inside of the tub to flow out through said openings 5 when the door is closed. The annular lip 4 is formed at its' diametrically opposite sides with openings 6 and 'l in which, when the door is closed, are mounted the respective ends of an arcuately curved slide bar 8. The front end of bar 8 is formed with a downwardly extending flange 9 and the rear end of bar 8 is formed with an upwardly extending flange I 0. The purpose of the front flange 9 is to lock bar 8 against rearward movement when the door is closed and locked. The rear flange I0 serves as a stop to contact the complemental stop member H- which is, in the form illustrated, a strap having downwardly bent sides l2 and outwardly extending wings I 3 spot welded or otherwise suitably secured to the exterior of the tub surface.

scale taken As shown in Fig. 1 the spherical tub is suitably mounted in a housing l5 provided with a swing-v able lid l6 to close an opening I] when the machine is in operation, and to swing away therefrom when it is desired to insert into and remove material being washed from the tub.

Non-rotatably fixed in the forward portion of the door I is an upstanding post-or pin l8, non-' circular in cross section. This pin is longitudinally slidable in a complemental non-circular opening |9 in the slide bar 8 and has pivotally mounted on pin 20 in its upper end a handle 2|.

This handle is formed adjacent the post IS with a slot 22 which straddles the upper end of post l8 and below pin 20 is formed with a cam 23; Encircling post l8 between the door I and slide bart is a coiled compression spring 24 which normally urges the door radially away from the slide bar.

When the door is moved to closed position the front end of the slide bar will move into opening 6 in the lip it being assumed that at the same time the locking -handle 2| stands in open position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. At this instant the stop H) on the rear end of the slide bar contacts the stop member The locking handle 2| is then swung into locking position as shown in solid lines in Fig. 3, at which time its free end contacts the upper surface of the slide bar. This, through the medium of the cam 23 moves the post upwardly through opening I!) and thus forces the upper marginal surfaces of the door against the inner surfaces of the tub around the tub opening. This compresses the spring 24 and the door is then held in locked position. To unlock the door the handle 2| is swung upwardly to the dotted position shown in Fig. 3, which permits the post I8 to move downwardly through opening l9 under action of spring 24, thus moving the door I radially inwardly a distance away from the inner surface of the spherical tub. The handle 2| may now be lifted slightly manually to lift the front flange 9 of the slide bar upwardly away from its engagement over the bottom edge of the hole 6, after which the door and slide bar may be moved rearwardly to open the door. The limit of this opening movement is shown in Fig. 4, at which time the cam 23 strikes the edge of the lip 4. The strap i! also forms a supplemental guide means for the slide bar to thus insure a greater freedom of sliding movement thereof through the lip 4. The rear end of this slide bar 8 when the door is open will assume the position shown in Fig. 4. As noted in Fig. 3, when the door is closed its marginal edge portions extend a substantial distance beyond the marginal edges of the opening 3 so as to be pressed firmly against the inside of the tub when the door is closed and locked.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6d the slide bar 8 is rectangular in cross section and the holes 6 and I in the lip around the tub opening are of complemental shape sufficiently larger to permit the slide bar to freely slide therethrough.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a spherically curved door'for a spherical tub in which the door may be firmly locked against the inside of the tub, and when unlocked and moved to open the tub opening, the door is spaced radially inwardly away from the inner surface of the tub at all times until the door is again moved to closed position and locked. This structure not only prevents scratching or marring of the adjacent surfaces of the door and tub but also provides a door that is more easily moved because of the looseness of the door assemnd yet which will not rattle imder vibration e of the tub when the dooris closed.

In the form shown in Figs. 7-9 the slide bar 8a is a cylindrical cross section and the openings has fixed thereto a guide block 2,6.which extends laterally as shown in Fig. 7, this lateral extension having a cylindrical opening 21 therein which is slidable longitudinally over the arcuate guide rod 28; fixed at its upper end to the lip 4 and at itslower end to a projection on the'fiange 29 of thetub. By this arrangement the slide bar 3a., when the door is movedto open position, carries the guide block 26 downwardly along the arcuate curved guide rod 28 until reaching its limit of movement, and when closing the door this guide block slides upwardly along the guide rod 28 until the door I is in its closed position. 1

It will also be noted-that when the door is in closed position the guide block-26 contacts the I stop member 25 to properly position the door with relation to the tub opening. The forward end of the slide bar has the door and locking handle attached thereto in a manner similar to that earlier described herein with relation to Figs. 1 to 6, except that the locking means is somewhat different, as will now be described. This forward end of the slide bar is formed in its upper surface with a groove 30. The slide bar, at a slight distance removed from its front end, is formed with an upwardly extending opening of a size and shape to slidably receive the noncircular post l8, this opening also passing through the groove 30. Formed transversely through the post I8 is a direction longitudinally of the slide bar is an opening 3|, which is of sufficient diameter to permit a limited up and down movement therein of the latch member 32, which is pivoted on pin 33 fixed in the slide bar and extending across groove 30. This latch member 32 has its front end bent upwardly at 34 to engage over the adjacent portion of the lip at the upper edge of the hole through which the front end of the slide bar passes as the door nears closing position.

When the door is in closed position and it is desired to lock the same, the lock handle 2| is swung downwardly so that its free end contacts the slide bar 8a as shown in Fig. 8. This moves the cam 23 against the slide bar so as to pull the post l8 upwardly through its hole and compress spring 24. Thisupward movement of post l8 frees the latch 32 and permits a small leaf spring 35 to swing the latch 32 upwardly to move its outer hooked end over the edge of the hole in the lip 4, thus holding the door in tight engagement with the inner surface of the tub and locked against movement with relation thereto. To

'unlock the door the lock handle 2| is swung upopen position. When in this open position the.

door will, as in the structure shown in Figs. 1-6, be spaced inwardly from the inner surface of The slide bar at its rear end 1 the tub, in which position it will remain until the door is closed and again locked.

In the modification shown in Figs. -12, the forward end of the slide bar 8b is formed with an enlarged portion 36 provided with a vertically extending opening 31. Locking handle 38 is formed with a downwardly extending stem 39 which'at its upper end is formed with a slight enlargement 48 to form a shoulder 4| to limit downward movement of stem 39 but permit a certain amount of vertical movement of the stem. The door I is formed with a pair of laterally spaced apart, upstanding ears 42, between which extend a cross-bar 43 held between the ears 42 by screws or the like 44. Cross-bar 43 is formed with a vertically extending hole 45 through which extends the stem 38. It is thus seen that crossbar 43 has a limited amount of rotational movement between ears 42.

The lower end portion of stem 39 is formed with an annular groove adapted to receive a snap ring 46 which maintains the handle slide bar and door assembly together for limited sliding movement. Interpositioned between the enlarged end 36 and the cross-bar 43, and affixed to the stem 39 to rotate therewith, is a disk 41 having projecting from its forward end a hook 48 to engage the edge 49 of the adjacent opening in the lip 4. Extending rearwardly from disk 41 is a cam 58 of slightly extended width. A strap 5| is fixed to the slide bar adjacent the enlarged end 36 and is formed with a downwardly extending portion 52 which at its lower end extends laterally at 53 terminating in a downwardly extending cam portion 54 adapted to be engaged by the cam 50.

To lock the door to the tub opening the locking handle 38 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction when viewed from above which simultaneously carries the hook 48 into engagement with the edge 49 of the opening in the lip and moves the cam laterally and upwardly on cam surface 54. This not only looks the door with relation to the tub opening but also tightly forces the marginal edge portion of the door against the inner surface of the tub because of the upward movement of the stem during engagement of cam 50 with cam surface 54. To unlock the door, the lock handle 38 is rotated in the opposite direction, which frees the hook 48 and also frees the cam 58 from cam surface 54, thus permitting the door to move inwardly a distance with relation to the tub because of the downward movement by gravity of stem 39 and parts carried thereby. The door assembly is then moved to open position in the same manner as previously described. It is important to note that when the locking handle 38 is moved in a counter clockwise direction the cam 58 rises upwardly over the cam surface 54 to move the door against the tub and when moved in the opposite direction the door is moved away from the tub because of separation of cam 58 from cam surface 54. In other words, the cam 50 latches the door upwardly against the tub during the locking operation and holds the door against rattling or being shaken open while the machine is in operation,

- and when the locking handle is rotated in the opposite direction the action of gravity on the door and associated parts moves the door inwardly a spaced distance away from the tub.

In all of the forms shown herein the door is held against pivotal movement with relation to the tub and consequently is always maintained in alinement with the tub opening. It is also to be noted in all of the forms shown herein that the door i is formed with a large number of openings to permit the cleansing liquid to be forced out of the tub through the door when the material being cleansed is beingpressed or squeezed in the manner'described in my said copending application 637,964.

I claim:

1. A laundry machine tub having a sphericall curved upper portion formed with a top opening having around its margin an upstanding lip, said lip having holes on opposite sides of said top opening, a spherically curved door below said top opening and extending beyond all sides thereof when closed, an arcuate slide bar longitudinally movable in said lip holes, said door being supported by said slide bar to move therewith in a curved path longitudinally with relation to the slide bar when the door is being opened and closed.

2. A laundry machine tub as claimed in claim 1, having means for releasably locking the slide bar against movement in said lip holes when the door is closed.

3. A laundry machine tub as claimed in claim 1, having means for releasably locking the slide bar against movement in said lip holes when the iii) door is closed, the slide barhaving on its front end a shoulder adapted to engage with an edge of its respective lip hole when the locking means is in locking position.

4. A laundry machine tub as claim-ed in claim 1, having means for releasably locking the slide bar against movement in said lip holes when the door is closed, said locking means being connected to both the door and slide bar to move the marginal portions of the door tightly against the inside face of said upper portion of the tub around said top opening therein when the door is closed and the locking means is locked, and to move the door a distance inwardly of the upper portion of the tub when the locking means is released to prevent the door from scraping against the tub as it is opened and closed.

5. A laundry machine tub having a spherically curved upper portion formed with a stop opening. a lip upstanding around the marginal edge of said top opening, said lip having a hole therein on each of the two opposite sides of said top opening, an arcuate slide bar longitudinally movable in said lip holes, a spherically curved door inside of the tub, said door extending beyond all sides of said top opening when closed, said door being supported on said slide bar against rotational movement with relation thereto but for movement with the slide bar as the slide bar slides through one of the lip holes to open the door in a direction longitudinally of the slide bar, and means to move the door toward the slide bar when the door is closed and away from the slide bar and from the inside of the'tub when the door is being opened and closed.

6. A laundry machine tub as claimed in claim 5, in which the front end of the slide bar has means to interlock with an edge of its lip hole when the door is closed and moved toward the slide bar.

7. A laundry machine tub as claimed in claim 5, in which the support for the door on the slide bar comprises a post fixed to the door and nonrotatably extending through the slide bar for sliding movement therethrough, and said means comprises an element on the post for pulling the post through the slide bar to grip the door against the inside surface of the tub and a spring to urge the door in the opposite direction when the element on the post is released,

8. A laundry machine tub as claimed in claim 5, in which the support for the door on the slide bar comprises a post fixed to the door and slidable through a hole in the slide bar, and said means comprises a cam handle pivoted to the post above'the slide bar and a compression spring between the slide bar and the door.

9. A laundry machine tub as claimed in claim 5, in which the rear end of the slide bar and the exterior of the tub upper portion are formed with complemental stop means to stop further forward movement of the slide bar when the door reaches its final closed position.

10. A laundry machine tub having a spherical- 1y curved upper portion formed with a top open-. ing for access and removal of material to be cleansed, a spherically curved door inside of the tub and extending beyond all edges of the top opening when closed, a slide bar slidable outside of the tub, means for supporting the -door from the slide bar so that as the slide bar is moved in a direction longitudinally thereof the door will move with the slide bar to open and closed position. and means on the outside of the tub for slidably supporting the slide bar.

11. A laundry machine as claimed-in claim 10,

having means for moving the door toward and away from the slide bar. 7

12. A laundry machine tub having a spherically curved upper portion formed with a top opening for access and removal of material to be cleansed, a spherically curved door inside of the tub and extending beyond all edges of the top opening when closed, alined upstanding projections on opposite edges of the top opening and each having a hole therethrough, a slide bar outside of the tub and having its rear end slidable in one of said holes when the door is moving toward and away from closed position, the front end of the slide bar moving into the other hole as the door nears closed position, supplemental means on the exterior of the tub to further steady the rear end of the slide bar during its sliding movement, and means for supporting the door from the slide bar for movement therewith in a direction longitudinally of the slide bar.

13. A laundry machine tub as claimed in claim 12, having means for locking the door and slide bar in closed position and moving the door toward the slide bar during the locking operation and away from the slide bar during the unlocking operation.

14. A laundry machine tub having a spherically curved upper portion formed with a top opening, a spherically curved door inside of the tub, means for non-rotatably sliding the door to open and closed position, means for tightly pres-- sing the marginal portions of the door against the inside of the tub around said opening when the door is closed, and means for moving the door inwardly from the tub walls while opening it, said door on its inner face being free of inwardly extending projections that would catch on materials being cleansed in the tub.

an opening slidable over said supplemental rod.

17. A laundry machinetub as claimed in claim 10, in which said slide bar is provided at its forward end with a rotatable cam rotatable into locking and releasing position for locking the door closed and releasing it for sliding opening movement, said cam when moved into locking position moving the door outwardly to tightly engage the inside of the tub. and when moved into releasing position moving the door inwardly to space the door from the tub wall while the door is being opened and closed. 18. A laundry machine tub as claimed in claim 14, having a longitudinally slidable arcuate slide bar outside of the tub upon which bar the door is non-rotatably supported, a pair of apertured upstanding projections on opposite sides of said top opening, said slide bar being a cylindrical rod having a longitudinally extending groove in its forward end, said means for pressing the door against the inside of the tub including a post fixed to the door and slidably passing through a hole in the rod at said groove, a locking latch in said groove having a bent end to engage over the edge of the aperture in the adjacent upstanding projection, a spring in the groove under the latch, and a cam handle above the latch to force it away from said aperture edge to enable the slide bar and door to be moved to open position.

19. A laundry machine tub having a spherically curved upper portion formed with a top opening, a spherically curved door inside of the tub, a pair of ,apertured projections on opposite sides of the top opening, a slide bar slidably mounted in the aperture of one of said projections, the front end of said slide bar beingenlarged and formed with an opening, a handle having a stem passing through said slide bar opening, a member secured to the door and having an opening through which said stem also passes, a cam fixed on said stem to rotate therewith as the handle is rotated to lock and unlock the door when closed, and a complementary cam member fixed to the slide bar to be engaged by the first mentioned cam to move the door in a direction toward and away from the inner surface of the tub when locking and unlocking the door.

JOHN F. HORVATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Certificate o! Qomction Patent No. 2,458,380. January 4, 1949.

JOHN F. HORVATH It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctionae follows:

Column 1, lines 23 and 35, for the word tube reed tub; column 4, line 39, for is a. read in a; column 6, line 46, claim 5, for etop" reed top;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofice.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of June, A. D. 1949..

THO F h i, g g: i-

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